Sunrise alarm clocks can be a pleasant way to wake up in the morning, but they're expensive. Instructables user Gledow wanted to make one from cheap parts sitting around the house, and did so with a clever mix of a timer, and a light bulb.

Unlike the Arduino sunrise alarm clock, or the ATTiny13 one, Gledow's build uses parts you probably have in your house already, including a box, lightbulb, extension cords, an old phone charger, and an outlet plug. You will also need a slow turning DC motor and a timer socket, but both are cheap. The end result is a mechanical contraception that opens up slowly to wake you up to the light, without any expensive electronics. Head over to Instructables for a full guide.